A deadly assault on remote communities in Kwara State has drawn sharp criticism of security response times after armed militants allegedly operated for nearly 10 hours before military forces finally arrived, a local village head said.

Community leader Umar Bio Salihu of Woro said the attackers stormed his village and neighbouring areas from about 5 p.m. until roughly 3 a.m., killing dozens of residents and burning homes before soldiers reached the scene — by which time the militants had already fled.

President Bola Tinubu has since ordered the deployment of an army battalion under a new operation aimed at rooting out the extremist groups and protecting vulnerable settlements.

The massacre — one of the deadliest in the state this year — prompted the president to condemn the violence and promise intensified counterterrorism efforts, even as frustration grows over apparent delays in security reinforcements.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the response lag, with residents and local officials calling for a review of intelligence and troop deployment protocols to prevent future tragedies.